1. Technical Field
THIS INVENTION relates to a racking system for vehicles and, in particular, utility vehicles or pick up vehicles inclusive of pick up trucks.
2. Background
Reference may be made to conventional racking systems for pick up trucks as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,472. This reference describes a pair of end frames which are each attached to opposed support brackets located on an upper edge respectively of an associated side wall of a body of the pick up truck. There is also provided a retaining bracket on the upper edge of each side wall which is located intermediate a pair of the support brackets attached to a common side wall. The end frames may pivot from an upper operative position to a lower inoperative position whereby each end frame engages with an adjacent retaining bracket.
Reference may also be made to conventional pick up truck racking systems which are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,398,763, 4,604,013, 4,659,131, 5,002,324, 5,009,457, 5,037,152, 5,108,141 and 5,143,415 which all have a feature that is common with U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,472 in that individual frame members or frame components of each racking system are supported on one or each side edge of opposed side walls of the body of the pick up truck.
The adoption of the abovementioned common feature provides a marked disadvantage in that it is not possible to utilise a tonneau cover for weather proofing purposes in regard to the pick up vehicle unless the mounting brackets or other mounting arrangements for the frame members or frame components of the prior art references are removed to facilitate attachment of the tonneau cover to each upper edge of opposed side walls of the pick up truck. It can be appreciated that such removal is time consuming and may be labour intensive unless it is desired to dispense with use of a tonneau cover permanently by making the mounting brackets or other form of mounting arrangements in the form of permanent attachments to each side wall of the pick up truck.
Another disadvantage of these references is that no effective use could be made of the racking system for storage or carrying purposes when the. racking system was moved to an inoperative or folded position.
Reference also may be made to U.S. Pat. No. 5,439,152 which refers to an extendable racking system which is intended to be attached to a bed or tray of the pick up truck wherein there is provided a base frame comprising four end uprights, end frame members and opposed side frame members which were adjustable in length. The base frame also incorporated a pair of end frames adjustably and releasably attached to a respective pair of end uprights, Manufacture of such a racking system was relatively expensive due to the relatively complicated structure of the racking system. Installation and dismantling of the racking system in relation to individual pick up trucks was also time consuming and labour intensive. There was also no provision for use of a tonneau cover for weather proofing purposes when the racking system was moved to an inoperative position. Another disadvantage of this reference is that no effective use could be made of the racking system for storage or carrying purposes when the racking system was moved to a lowered or folded position.
Similar problems occurred with racking systems of a generally similar nature to that described above In relation to U.S. Pat. No. 5,439,152 which are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,460,8654, 4,659,131, 4,770,558, 4,854,628, 5,152,570 and 5,190,337.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,891,262 refers to a racking system for a pick up vehicle which incorporates a pair of pivotally mounted end frames movable from a horizontally folded position to an upright carrying system. Each end frame has a releasable locking brace rigidly holding the end frame in an upright position. Each frame is releasably attached to a load bed or tray of the pick up truck.
However, while the frame structure of this reference is simple in nature, the racking system when moved to the inoperative position could not be effectively used for storage or storage of articles and especially when use was made of a tonneau cover for weatherproofing purposes.